I was experimenting with my photography this morning. Georgia O’Keeffe has inspired me with the idea that my images should reflect what I see, not what I expect to see, what others see, or what I am told to see. A New York art gallery owner sent me a long list of ideas and rules for taking photos of flowers if I want to be successful; all of them are entirely different from my ideas.
I don’t intend to follow any of them; blessedly, I am not looking to be an O’Keeffe (fortunately) or anyone but me.
Reading O’Keeffe about individuality, I understood there is no wrong or right way to take a picture or make a painting. There are many ways to look at it. She never bought into that. Creativity is every person’s way of capturing what they feel and see. Flower photography has become emotional to me. This morning, I read this from one of O’Keeffe’s many interviews:
“To create one’s world takes courage. I have things in my head that are not like what anyone taught me — shapes and ideas so near to me, so natural to my way of being and thinking. I can’t live where I want to, I can’t go where I want to go, I can’t do what I want to, or even say what I want to.” – But, she added, she can paint what she sees even if she can’t say what it is she wants to do.
In my life as a writer, blogger, or photographer, I have never told anyone else what they should write, blog, or photograph. The idea sickens me, yet people do it to me and others constantly. Reading O’Keeffe reminds me that this common wisdom chokes creativity, not improves it. I can’t imagine doing it to anyone else.
Of all her flower art that touches me, the most interesting is when she changes the color of flowers and sees them as sculptures. I took one of my favorite flower photos (above) and moved it onto Light Room. I changed it to black and white and then decided to darken the background, all on a whim.
I was excited to do this and see the result. This is what I see—no one taught me like O’Keeffe. I am not like anything anyone taught me, so I am trying to be natural in my thinking. People disagree with me constantly, as if there is only one way to deal with the world and see it.
Light Room gives me a paintbrush for my photo painting work.
People can be creative at any age. I have only one piece of advice for them. Be yourself. Anyone who tells you what to be (unless you ask them) is your friend.
I love this new photograph; it opens up another path for me and my photography. I hope you enjoy it.
Jon, I love this photo! I love how you are firmly in your own creativity, and don’t allow others to tell you what to do. You answered yet another question for me. I was in the middle of creating a piece of wood art, and my sister butted in, unsolicited, trying to tell me what to do to make it better. I snapped at her, and was shocked at my snapping, but now I get why; I didn’t ask for input, didn’t need input. I was in my creative zone and happy doing it the way I was doing it. However, I do the same thing, too, telling people what I think they should do even though they didn’t ask, and am working hard in counseling to heal this. If I want to share something, and only want to vent, I can pre-empt my conversation with, “I just need to vent here, I don’t really need input.” Or when someone shares with me, I can ask for clarification, “Hey, do you just want to share, or would you like my input?” It’s a much more considerate way to live. Thanks, Jon.
Yes!! I just had a similar experience with the ukulele, trying to strum in rigid patterns… the guy at the local music shop told me to “strum what you feel”. Wow is that freeing!!
Hi Jon,
I have never seen things the way others see them, and have all my life been told that I was wrong. I suppose those same people would tell me that I see wrongly, but I see your flowers as saying, “Yes, this is me. You got it, and I know you got it.” And I can feel in your pictures your answer, “Yes, I got you, you lovely being. Thank you so much for being you, reaching me.”